World Sailing has launched a pioneering project to measure and reduce the environmental impact of all Olympic-class boats, marking the first initiative of its kind developed by a federation across any Olympic sport. The programme places environmental measurement at the core of the technical and sporting governance of Olympic sailing.
The 12-month project will involve all six Olympic sailing classes and will be based on comprehensive life-cycle assessments of equipment, with the aim of understanding the full footprint from production and competitive use through to end of life.
Environmental data at the heart of Olympic decision-making
The findings from these assessments will inform future rules, technical standards and Olympic class selection processes, embedding environmental data within World Sailing’s decision-making framework. The initiative aligns with the federation’s Sustainability Agenda 2030 and its Olympic Vision, which commits to systematically integrating sustainability criteria into technical regulation and Olympic equipment governance, in line with the priorities of the Olympic movement.
From 2032 onwards, all classes seeking Olympic inclusion will be required to submit an independently verified life-cycle assessment, making environmental impact a key criterion alongside sporting performance. Alexandra Rickham, Sustainability Director at World Sailing, underlined that “sailing depends on a healthy ocean, and that gives us both a privilege and a duty to lead”, adding that the project will enable the sport to “make smarter choices and shape the future of Olympic equipment with data”.
Tools, industry and a cascading effect
The methodology and technical tools will be delivered through MarineShift360, a purpose-built solution for the marine industry developed by Marine Futures and supported by 11th Hour Racing. The system will provide training and a shared analytical framework for classes and manufacturers, supporting fairer and more transparent standards in the competition for Olympic selection. In this context, Julie Duffus, Head of Sustainability at the International Olympic Committee, said that “integrating life-cycle assessments into equipment rules sets an important precedent for how environmental impact can be considered alongside performance”.
The scope of the project extends beyond elite competition, as many of the manufacturers involved also supply boats for recreational and youth sailing. This creates the potential for innovation driven at Olympic level to cascade across the wider marine industry. World Sailing has already begun onboarding Olympic-class manufacturers, with the first workshops held in October, and expects each class to complete its assessment within approximately three months under the coordination of its technical team.
Future phases will expand the analysis to cover complete Olympic campaigns, including equipment transport and athlete travel, helping to guide event structures and identify further opportunities to reduce environmental impact. Classes that have already undertaken individual assessments, such as iQFOiL and ILCA, will contribute valuable experience to the shared framework, while the results from the initial phases will inform updated sustainability criteria for future equipment and event operations across upcoming Olympic cycles.
